The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-05-29
BILL NYE ON ECONOMY.
A Few Philosophical Remarks on the
Various Grades of Barber shops

| read an essay recently on the inside OF a
valued exchange on the subject Of economy,
which greatly interested me. 1t related TO
the great expenses which really aggregated
from little ones, and dealt with the matter Of
daily papers, bootblacks, shaving expenses,
baths. etc. and showed how millions OF the
peoples money were annually squandered in
this way that ought 10 60 towards buying
books The article set me 10 thinking. and
resolved 10 investigate it, | was more espe-
cially taken with the idea OF extravaganza in
the matter Of BARRIERS and barber shops. You
can 90 TO a gorgeous shop and pay fifteen
cents and a tip for a shave, or you can go
where you can avoid the tip, or you can 20 10
a ten cent shop, or you eau get shaved on the
Bowery for five cents, or you can ignore the
whole business and let the wind blow through
your whiskers.
Last week | was Thunderstorm when
found how much could be saved boy changing
from n fifteen cent barber % a five cent bar
Der and keeping il mp for a year Counting
300 days as a fair estimate of the number ON
which | would be- apt To shave found that
by this change Icould have at the end Of the
year $50, with which 10 buy books or cross
barred trousers or any other means of intel
lectual Improvement which | NIGH, choose.
could buy one Of those expensive books that
Mr.. DE Lux occasionally gets ont. or could
hear Patti or buy a small yet fragrant dog
for go could also buy myself some more
hair on get my teeth filed | could take a
classical course on the banjo or huy an inter
est i'm a bird dog with $50
But wanted, moro than anything else, %
get more books. wanted new photograph
album most of aIl Am album with illustra
tions in it, 20 lay on the parlor table and ex-
plain 10 strangers i'm low, passionate tones, is
"a never ending source Of pleasure 90 the
thinking mind When a fr0ntispiece showing
the proprietor as Dee looked with side Nhiskers,
and later, a view where hewas photographed
with chin whiskers and holding war time
plug hat in his swollen hands, with picture
OF grandmother holding bible as though 10
might bee a glass bomb and a front view of
a sightless child that makes mp tor its total
absence of eyes by introducing "a soul stirring
mouth that would make golden haired ball
Of North Carolina butter turn white boz
single night With all these little specimens
of plastic art. loften thinl, chat photograph
album will do more toward entertaining "a
mixal company than amy other literary work
with which am familiar
So went into loss priced barber shop "a
week ego and began TO save $50 for the pur
pose OF adding Co my library. / soon dis
covered that in five cent barber shop you
get les, consideration and lower grade of
hthcr mp your nose than elsewhere
q O. D. d
five cents makes bis own soap. Possibly bee
works mp some of bis fattest patron, that
way Anyhow. the soap Dee uses smells badly
and tastes worse than any soap have ever
participated in AT this price OF shave One
saves financially, but be- loses cutaueousiy
The chair ! sat in was not "a good easy
chair. and the spiral springs Don DO occasionally
bad t0 come t0 the surface for more air.
became very much attached o. One OF these
springs and the ten cents | saved on the
sluye had o. pay q tailor down town who
tlcphuei my TROUSERS for mo.
The chair was also mentally wreck, and
it, memory was failing thought Just as
would relax my muscles and close ms eyes
this lettering old chair would forget ITSELF
and the worn ont trigger that held the head
rest would Slip about nine cogs Then wtha
low death rattle 10 would fail about a foot
and disturb my intellectual faculties You
can get shaved quicker for five cents than
you can for fifteen but the towels are more
clammy and the bay rm is rather more Of "a
chestnut, judge
Suffice it that ann not going 10 continue
the course of economy that had iutIgurated
for the year, for ann opposed O. the hoard
ing and accumulation Of q surplus Money
is tending TOO much toward Capitalization
any way, and do not want 20 enc0umgeit
While may not be able % secure the books
which contemplated buying with my say
ngs, can visit the chamber " horrors at
the Musee and improve my mind IN such ways
by actual observation.
We do not get an our education from books
We may easily obtain many refining and eu-
noblug ideas from other sources than the
musty tones which decorate the shelves Of
our Libraries
One OF the brainie,t men / ever knew, If ]
may bee allowed the temporary use NJ that
term. n man too who had succeeded boo amass
ing luite "A fortune as result Of native
shrewlness and knowledge " human nature
once admitted 90 me in sudden burst NJ con-
flence, inspired perhaps by too much wine,
that be had never read either of my books
And yet he had concealed this gross imor
ance for five years and amused "a fortune
While this is a sad commentary on American
galvanized iiliteracy 10 stiii shows that man
may be- almost crimInaily ignorant in this
country and yet acquire scads.-New York
World